TEENY MCMUNN: MY RECIPE BOX

I recently ordered Espresso Powder from King Arthur Flour Company. I "liked" them on Facebook so I can see their posts.

They had posted that coffee or espresso used in chocolate recipes enhances the chocolate flavor. I remembered I had a chocolate cake recipe that called for a cup of hot coffee and thought I could try this espresso powder. And as luck would have it, no one signed up for coffee hour at our church. I usually don't make cake at home because it's too much to eat for the two of us. (The exception is the Lemon Refrigerator Cake).

When my package came with the espresso powder, I received this handy card. I had to laugh because on the top, in big letters, was "SERIOUSLY, we are here to help", with a phone number for Baker's Hotline: 1-855-371-2253.

INGREDIENTS:

1 ¾ c. flour

½ c. vegetable oil

2 c. sugar

2 extra large eggs, room temperature

¾ c. good cocoa powder

1 tsp vanilla

2 tsp baking soda

1 c. freshly brewed coffee

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp kosher salt (see notes)

1 c. buttermilk

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour two 8-inch pans. (If you want a double layer. I used a 9 x 13 pan)

Sift the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt into the bowl of an electric mixture fitted with a paddle attachment and mix at low speed until combined. In another bowl, combine buttermilk, oil, eggs, and vanilla (mix well). With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry. With mixer still on low, add the hot coffee and stir just to combine, scraping the bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Don't overmix. Pour the batter into the prepared pans and bake for 35-40 minutes, until cake tester comes out clean. Cool in the pans for 30 minutes, then carefully turn them out onto a cooling rack and cool completely before adding the frosting.

MY NOTES:

A couple of things-I had to google "kosher salt" to see what the difference was before I shared the recipe because I ignored it and used regular salt. There is a difference. It is coarser than table salt. One teaspoon of regular salt equals 1 ½ teaspoons of Kosher salt. So you might want to reduce one teaspoon of Kosher salt in the recipe to three-quarter teaspoon regular salt. I didn't and it was fine. Also, I put all the dry ingredients into my flour sifter to mix, then into a bowl.

I used my handy powdered buttermilk. I made it in the larger cake pan because I didn't want to fuss with the double layer. So if you do, the baking time will be a bit longer. Check to make sure the center is done.

I have a hot pot that makes instant hot water. I heated up the hot water and added about 2 teaspoons of the espresso powder to it.

I made Chocolate Buttercream frosting. I used the one on the Hershey's Cocoa package, but there are quite a few versions. I have made one with two sticks of butter, but this one used only one. I could share it, but I am running out of room.

I asked for reviews from the coffee hour and everyone like it. The coffee flavor did not overpower the chocolate, but intensified it. By the way, I added mini chocolate chips on top.